The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-12-24
ABILITY OF WOMEN.
The strong adnlnistrativs Capacity in
the weaker Ser.

| nO OHe JiIne Ut loCuiItys SIG ID Vi buHb
cosmopolitan caste which results from
her having flourishcd in all ages, all
countries and among all sorts and con-
ditions of women. She is one of those
great world-links that bind past and
(, present together, enabling us to trace,
under different exteriors, those funda-
mental features that make of the hui
man race one great family. As the
| embryonic mother-in-law she has OBJ
tanned most unsavory reputation in
| life and literature. and he must possess
the robur et as tripier who would enter
the list rs her champion. Nevertheless,
there is creditablc side to the man.
aging mamma which has not yet met
the serious recognition il deserves. To
be successful in this sphere OF labor de-
mands diplomatic and administrative
capacity of very high order and too
many who heap scorn and riiicule
upon such u woman do not possess u
tithe of her executive ability. Ancient
legend typifies the tiasco of a man with
aspiration in this direction in the in
structive examples of Danaus. With
what ease and skill would managing
mamma compass SO trifling matter
as the settlement of fifty or more
daughters. But the only man on re-
cord who attempted it SO bungled the
affair that he not only achieved his
children's misery in this life. but con-
demned them to endless torment in
Hades. None of these old Greek stories
are meaningless, and we here see fore
shadowed the fact, which is as true to-
day as in the early time--that man
aging mammas and not managing
papas are to decide the destiny of hui
manity.
But, seriously, this famous character
epitomizes the great native talent,
amounting to positive genius, that
women possess for the conduct of af-
fairs. 1t has been stored up almost
silently and handed down until it has
now become hereditary. For centuries
women have been in great training
school, where their power as admins
traitors has been steadily developed and
expanded. The amount of organization
involved in the running of the simplest
household can be appreciated only by
housekeepers themselves. To plan three
daily meals for the 365 days of the year;
to train or bear with incompetence in
the kitchen; to- contrive with slender
means, and, finally, to so combine a
hundred details that they shall make an
harmonious whole. demands talent that
would Ito credit to General. Yet, un-
obtrusively, and as a matter of course,
women have proved themselves such
administrators. Isit strange that when
their ''sphere" was limited to four walls
this power spent itself in managing not
only children, but, too often, the lords
and masters to boot9
This capacity has so gained during
generations of comparative inaction
that it is impossible to longer set bounds
or limits to its enterprise. There is u
large number Of women whose house,
holds do not entirely absorb their ener-
gies, and there is Il large class without
any household to conduct; the inalien-
able right of such to manage demands
and will more and more obtain its
natural outlet. One can not but rejoice
at the constantly increasing public spirit
evinced by women, especially in the
field Of philanthropy, but we will ven-
ture t2 say that u large proportion
undertake these enterprises from con-
scious or unconscious desire to manage
some thing. They act us presidents
and directors of our benevolent insti-
tutions, and display signal ability in
these positions. Their achievements
have almost surpassed the SANDER that
women can not understand business,
and to the men who invidiously remark
that women do not run things on II
business basis, but are constantly beg
ging for money. it may be answered
that when women have capital such
as men use in doing similar work they
will no longer beg for money to carry
on their various charitable enterprises.
There has always existed very large
number Of men who have so ground
down their wives and daughters that
the latter do not expect to handle
money. We all know those splendid
women who fare sumptuously every
day, but who are forced to beg every
Is note from their masculine heads. 1t
is an i'll wind that blows no good. and
the pinching and contriving that so
many women have been forced into
under these circumstances has made
economy an instinct with them so that
as managers they can achieve equal re-
suits with far less outlay than men.
Women are now doing valuable work
on school and church boards according
to the unanimous testimony of men
who have observed them in these fields.
They are making successful business
ventures as proprietors of scores and
hotels. They may not at the present
stage possess that calmness and even
ness of spirit which would make of
them judicious buyers and sellers, but
as superintendcnts of mercantile houses
they would employ and control help
with an economy and efficiency that
would astonish the men of the firm.
There is no doubt that women are to
compete with men in this field. They
are not always to remain in subord-
nate positions as stenographers. clerks
and the like, but the future will see the
managing mamma who has settled her
| sons and tl,urhtors s,,ooaasf,,lt,, ,.,,o